


Of Fractures And Bones

by kritter



Category: Detroit: Become Human (Video Game)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-10-02 17:51:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20345257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kritter/pseuds/kritter
Summary: A 'non-canon' piece from the Of Flesh and Blood AU.





	Of Fractures And Bones

Its arms wrapped around him like a comforter, as much as he told himself that wasn't the case; it wasn't warm, or soft, simply _pretending_ to be in the moments it felt calm and compliant, with the words being taken with a grain of salt considering the RK900 wasn't, and hadn't been, in his experience, _obedient_ even when it was assigned to him on day one. A listener, sure, as it did what he asked at first, but over time it responded with more questions, more snarky responses and skeptical gazes not unlike his own, a clear indicator it was indeed an _adaptive mimicry machine_ in the ugliest way he could see. Ugly because it copied _him_, his snarls and sneers, smiles and leers, grins and winces as for the time being it was the best that it knew. Connor didn't seem like such a copycat, something he'd noticed in RK900's earlier days, wondering if something was lacking in the 800 as maybe it didn't listen _well enough_. Considering 'he' was still on the team, Gavin had his ideas of what that could have meant.

RK900 was something between a device and a person, or at the very least, a device _copying_ a person; its original personality was clearly stoic and analytical, but the behaviors it picked up were centrally external.

Gavin hated the way it picked up on his habits, even until it was much too late to do anything by the time he'd noticed, with that smug smile staring back at him; yet without the liveliness in its eyes that Gavin held in his own, it lacked the same manic reflection and simply grinned with the same dark, blank gaze it always held, leaving an unsettling expression across its features.

If he spent too much time thinking about it, however, it made him miserable, as did the attempt of blocking it out when it did hold him this way, fingers tenderly brushing along his cheek, down his jaw; he still winced on occasion, but the tender look in Nines’ eyes – false as it may have been – was still somehow reassuring, if he pretended it wasn’t a lethal machine always ready to take him down in painful words and actions if it decided he’d so much as said the wrong phrase or gave it a dirty look. Fortunately for the machine itself, it had trained him into settling more or less, turning him into the well-mannered, docile person it seemed so intent on making him. It didn’t take as much time to implement better behavior as it expected with someone that seemed so ruthlessly stubborn, but it seemed as though its methods _worked_, clear by the way Gavin stopped acting out so abruptly. Something of an accomplishment to it as whatever sort of side-project Gavin seemed to be for it, rather than the typical dynamic of the other way around.

“What are you thinking about, detective?” Gavin stared at it with the usual exhaustion he wore, lifting his eyebrows in an almost sorrowful expression. Falling in love with an android, particularly a destructive, dangerously abusive one was unpleasant, but he’d decided he couldn’t actually help himself, no matter how hard he tried.

“You,” he sighed. Curious, but content, its fingers curled to gently take his chin in its hand, leaning him in for a quick kiss.

“What about me?”

“Well, you’re my entire world now. What _not_ about you?” Gavin sighed, shifting in the bed to properly face the android, bringing a hand up to brush that characteristic strand of hair to the side, watching as it fell back into place. The RK900 offered one of its warmer smiles.

“I simply thought perhaps you had something more specific in mind.” The corner of Gavin’s lip tried to form a half-smile, but it was weak, and gone as soon as it came. It was much more difficult for him to ‘play along’, to pretend they could be so nice and _calm_ between the yelling and beating. The longing in his eyes would be clear to a human, but he doubted if the machine would pick up on it for being anything more than another action to replicate, an aspect that was scary in its own.

“You’re supposed to be temporary. But the way you treat me, I’ll never forget it,” he admitted, rather boldly considering he could be easily hurt rather immensely if he so much as didn’t watch his wording, so he made sure to think over his words before they left his mouth.

“I know that’s what you want, I just don’t get why. You won’t care after you’re gone.”

“Of course not. Other people will still be in your life, however, and I want you to keep your behaviors for what they are.” _Then why hit me so much? Isn’t there another way to do this?_ Questions scrambled in his mind that he ‘knew better’ than to ask aloud, biting his tongue as he nodded in response to what 900 said.

“It’s not just that, right? Or else, there wouldn’t be a scar on my back.” A swift catch from saying _you scarred me_, as he’d finally picked up the habit of avoiding _you_ statements. The smile RK900 wore was much more sinister than the last, and it made him look away for the moment.

“_That_ is for my own self-gratification indeed, even if that is only as temporary as I am. You will not only remember what you have to do, but who taught you to do it.” _Who_, Gavin noted, not _what._ Personal, sentient pronouns seemed to be used for deviants; but he supposed the point was moot if it had intentionally been equipped with emotions. Of _course_ it wanted to be a person, as did the rest of the android population these days, it seemed. Gavin sighed, wishing he had more answers for all the questions buzzing in his mind, squinting his eyes shut as he tried to fend them off, and RK900’s smile faded to a frown in response.

“I hurt you so you won’t forget,” it answered unprompted, reminding him not to forget it _was_ exceptional at reading body language, to the point it seemed _psychic_ at times.

“Yeah, thanks. I’ll go to the grave with these marks.” Sensing the sarcasm, it sneered, and he flitted his eyes open with surprise and a few heavy heartbeats slamming within his chest.

“Sorry,” he murmured quickly.

“Thank you for all the attention you give me, sir.” With another, softer smile, the android gleamed, petting its fingers through his hair, sweaty from the restless sleep and hours of tossing and turning before he woke up with the feeling of its arms around him. For once, it didn’t comment about his behavior; it simply kissed his nose in a subtle congratulation.

“Of course.”


End file.
